Poker is a classic card game played by a group of players around a circular table. The objective of the game is to make the best hand possible, using five cards. The highest hand wins the pot.

Each player is dealt a complete hand of cards. The hand may be face up or concealed. The player who receives the jack is the first dealer.

The initial dealer then cuts the deck. Each player is dealt a pair of cards, with the high card used to break ties when no one has a pair.

A new round of betting begins with the two dealers remaining. The ante is the buy in bet, which is usually a small amount. The players who are not in contention then call, or fold. The players who are in contention then raise or match.

Each round of betting passes in clockwise order, with the player who is not in contention dropping. After the betting is completed, the remaining player collects the pot without showing his hand.

Some poker games have a fixed limit. The maximum amount that a player can bet is determined by the table. The player is also allowed to bluff, or raise, the other players.

Most poker games involve an ante. The ante is a buy in bet that is usually a dollar or $5. Some games require players to use blind bets or forced bets.

There are hundreds of ways to play poker. Some versions have specific wild cards. Others use multiple packs of cards.